My “Watership Down” is Heaven on Earth

Its all been a bit quiet here recently. That’s because the past few weeks have been tied up with moving home from our previous base in the artistic community of Bear River in SW Nova Scotia, Canada. My families new home is in Prince Edward County, which is a little rural island in Lake Ontario about two hours drive from Toronto, filled with artists, vineyards, and little cafes to drink soup bowl sized mugs of ethical coffee while chatting the day away.

My two boys and I in front of our truck, we thought that adding the flag would improve our chances through Quebec!!

As the 26′ uHaul filled up quicker than expected, I tried to work out how we had accumulated so much in the 2 years that we’ve been living in Canada. A clue came with the word, “STUDIO” written in thick black ink on the side of so many boxes. We had so much stuff that a racking system was constructed inside the truck to help squeeze it all in, too bad I’d already carefully packed my circular saw right at the front.

Thanks to the help from our friends and neighbours

I’m not sure if the hour hand on our clock got stuck to the second hand by a stray piece of masking tape, time has never seemed to move so fast before – the whole preparation becoming blurred as if I had bubble wrap covering my eyes. Thankfully a lot of help from our friends and neighbours got us underway in time for a very rough ferry ride across the Fundy.

We finally made it to our new home 30hours later, the journey broken in “tim bits” sized portions of drive, sleep, coffee, drive……. We even managed Montreal during the day, deciding to take the tunnel and the 40 – although in my bid for a celebration coffee and Donut at the Lancaster Tim Hortons I managed to drive 51′ of truck and trailer up a dead end farm track!!!!!

An evening sky from the land at our new home seen through the trees and my lens

Unlike our previous moves, this one seems different. Like the rabbits in the Richard Adams classic, “Watership Down,” I suppose we all search for certain things during our life, and for me, just like “Hazel” and “FIver,” finding the right spot to “work, rest and play” has been one of those journeys. With this home I know my family and I have been guided to a special place. Perched alone on the top of a small hill, enjoying 360 degree views over rural landscapes, big skies, bright sunrises and long sunsets. I can feel the breeze, see the stars, watch the clouds come and go.

No-wonder the early loyalist settlers called the track we are on “Bethel Road” which means “House of God at Heavens Gate.” I feel like a bird in a paradise treetop, and yes I’ve certainly found my “Watership Down.”